Label applying mechanism



Dec. 11, 1951 s. w. VON HOFE LABEL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed March 27, 1947 fin l.

INVENTOR. 650/365 [M m/v //0F 14 TTORNE Y5 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 LABEL APPLYING MECHANISM George W. von Hoi'e, Bound Brook, N. 3.. asslgnor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hobok en, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 21, 1947, Serial No. 731340 42 Claims. (Cl. 216-55) This invention relates to label applyin m chines and has for its principal object the provision of an improved means for applying labels to articles whose configuration or the place of application of the label ther'eto makes it desirable that the label first be shaped before it is mounted on the article.

In accordance with the above and other objects which will hereinafter become more apparent, the invention provides a transfer device having a label carrying surface substantially conforming to the article surface to which the label is to be applied and means for depositing the label on such surface of the transfer device.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a label applying machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an article having an interiorly applied label; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the transfer device and coasting label support shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating another form of label support for carrying out the purposes of the invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of another form of transfer device and showing it depositing a label in a suture tube and Fig. 6 is an end view of the article in Fig. 5 showing the label deposited therein.

The term labeP used throughout the following description is intended to include any sheet of material which is to be deposited on or in an article for the purpose of identifying the contents thereof, or for any other purpose. The label may have any desired form and may or may not have thereon a coating of adhesive material, such as, a suitable glue or heat activatable thermoplastic material, for the purpose of adhering the label to the article. Thus, where in the specification and the claims it is stated that the label is applied to an article or surface, it is intended that the word apply" shall includeaflixing, depositing, laying or placing the label on or in an article or on a surface. Also in practicing the invention, the labels may either be fed in the form of a continuous web from a supply roll in a wellknown manner or be fed individually, as from a supply stack. In the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the source of label supply is shown as an upright stack of individual labels 9 contained in a hopper l0 and coated on their lower faces with a heat activatable thermoplastic material. The hopper It may include any conventional elevating means for raising the stack of labels 9 at periodic intervals to thereby re- 2 store the top label in the stack to a predetermined height, and thus maintain the top labels at a substantially constant feeding level.

In accordance with the invention, the labels 8 are fed from the stack or store thereof on the support or elevating means of the hopper It to a support I! by means of a pick-up device of the suction operated type which is designated generally in the drawings by the numeral Ii. Suitable means may also be associated with the hopper I0 to facilitate the feed of the labels from the stack by the pick-up device I I. After a label 9 has been deposited upon the support It, a label carrier or transfer device, generally designated by the numeral I3, transfers the label in a reshaped condition from the support I! to the article ll, which is mounted on a suitable support, such as for example, the article supporting means designated [5 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Inasmuch as in this machine the labels to be applied to the articles by the transfer device l3 are obtained from' the support l2 to which they are successively fed by the pick-up device H, such support I! may be stated to constitute a label supply or transfer station for the labels so transmitted to the articles.

The label applying machine in which the above mentioned devices are embodied may be of any well-known type and for the purposes of illustrating the invention such parts have been shown as embodied in a labeling machine such as is described and illustrated in the Von Hofe Patent No. 2,227,816, issued January 7, 1941. In such a machine, there is provided a carriage l6 (see Fig. 1) slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail II supported on the frame of the machine. The carriage I6 is reciprocated lengthwise of the rail I! in predetermined timed sequence by mechanism exemplified in Fig. 1 of the drawings by the rod it which is pivotally connected at IE to the carriage. A member or plunger 20 is slidably mounted on the carriage I5 and is vertically reciprocated thereon in properly timed relation with the associated parts by mechanism ex= emplified in Fig. l of the drawings by the roller 2| which is adapted to travel along a horizontally extending track 22 which is arranged to be raised and lowered to reciprocate the member Zll. The downward movement of the member 20 may be facilitated by a vertically disposed spring 23 which is connected at its lower end to the carriage i6 and at its upper end to a lug 24 on the member 20. The spring 23 however, may be omitted in some instances and gravity alone depended upon to accomplish the downward movement of the member 20 when the track 22 is lowered. Secured to the lower end of the member 20 is the label carrier or transfer device I3. Also supported in predetermined spaced relation to the transfer device I3 on the member 20, is the pick-up or label feed device II. The pick-up device may be mounted in any suitable fashion on the member 20, as by a supporting bracket 28 which is secured at one end to the member 20 and at its otherend is provided with a depending portion 29 to the lower end of which is secured the pick-up device II.

It will be understood from the parts of the label machine thus far described, that when in the operation of the machine, the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. l, the track 22 is in a lowered position, the pick-up device II is in position to pick up a label from the stack or store of labels 8 and the transfer device I3 is in position to receive a label 9 which has been deposited on the support I2 in the previous operation of the carriage. Both the devices II and I3 are of the suction type and are connected by tubes 30 and 3|, respectively, with a convenient source of suction which is controlled by properly timed valvlng means of any suitable type so that suction is effected at the label supporting surfaces of such devices while they are positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and until the labels carried thereby have been deposited on the support I2 and the article I4. When a label 9 has been drawn from the stack by the pick-up device II and a label has been taken from the support I2 by the transfer device I3, the track 22 is raised to elevate the member 20 and consequently the devices II and I3 with the labels thereon. The carriage is then caused to move to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings to bring the pick-up device II over the support I2 and the transfer device I3 into the open end of the article I4 which has previously been placed on the support I5 in label receiving position. The spacing of hopper I0, support I2 and support I5 is correlated with relation to the spacing of devices II and I3 on the member 20 to bring the parts accurately into the positions above described. When the parts are in the said positions the track 22 is lowered and the member 20 moves downwardly on the carriage I6 to thereby cause the pick-up device II to deposit the label carried thereby on the support I2 and to cause the transfer device I3 to deposit its label upon the interior surface of the article I4. When the deposition of the two labels has been completed, the suction in the devices II and I3 is discontinued and the latter are lifted with respect to the carriage I6 by the action of track 22 on the roller 2i and member 20. The labeled article It is then removed from the support I5 and the carriage I6 is retracted to bring the parts back to the positions shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings to repeat the operations above described.

The support I2 is provided with a label supporting surface 38 at which terminate a plurality of air passageways 31 that are in communication at their lower ends with a chamber 35 formed within such support '(see Fig. 3). The chamber 35 is connected by means of a tube 36 with a source of air supply. Suitable valve means are provided to control the air supply to the chamber 35 so as to provide a condition of suction in such chamber and consequently at the surface 38 of the support when a label is to be delivered to such surface by the label pick-up or feeding device II and until such label is to be delivered to the transfer device I3. The valve means should be also adapted to deliver compressed air into the chamber 33 to blow the deposited label 3 into contact with the label carrying surface of the transfer head I3 when the latter is properly positioned in label receiving position with relation to the support I2. Due to the fact that a label on support I2 is deposited thereon so that its thermoplastic coating is in engagement with surface 33 and the fact that the label carrying surface of the transfer device I3 is heated in any suitable manner, as by providing the device I3 with a conventional electrical type of heater located in an electrical circuit and indicated by the wires 32. it is preferred that the transfer device I3 should not contact with the label on the support but in its pick-up position be slightly spaced therefrom to prevent the labels adherence to the support. It is contemplated however, to bring the device I3 into contact with the support when the label is not provided with a thermoplastic coating, in which case the said valve means may be arranged merely to cut off the suction to the chamber 35 and consequently surface 33 when the device I3 comes into engagement with the label resting on support I2. The surface 33 has a concave shape and conforms substantially to the shape of the label carrying surface 33 of device I3. Surface 39 in turn substantially conforms to the interior surface of the article I4 on whichthe label 3 is to be deposited. A label picked up by device I3 is maintained on surface 33 by suction created through the air passageways 40 terminating at one end in such surface and communicating at their other ends with a chamber ll which is connected by tube 3i to a source of suction controlled by valve means of any suitable type so that when a label 9 is picked up from support I2 and until it is deposited on article I4, such suction will be effective at surface 39 to maintain label 3 properly in position thereon.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that when a label 9 is deposited on surface 38 of support I2, the suction effective at such surface will cause the label to adhere snugly thereto and take a concave shape similar to that of surface 38. The label 9 is thus preshaped on support I2 prior to its delivery to the transfer device I3. When device I3 is lowered so that it enters into the recess defined by surface 38, with its labe1 carrying surface 39 spaced slightly from the exterior face of the label, compressed air through tube 36, chamber 35 and air passageways 31 will blow the preshaped label into contact with surface 39 where it will be held by the suction effective at such surface at that time. The transfer device I3 with the shaped label 3 thereon, will then be lifted from the support I2, shifted by the carriage I6 into the mouth of the article I4 and then lowered to deposit the label upon the concaved interior surface of article I4. During the travel of the transfer device I3 from support I2, to the article I4, the label 3 is heated by the heating means 32 carried by device I3 to adhesively activate the thermoplastic coating on such label. Consequently when the transfer device I3 is lowered at the applying station to bring the label 3 with its heat activated thermoplastic coating into engagement with the interior surface of article I4, the label will be caused to adhere to such surface of the article. At the proper moment suction is cut off in the transfer device l3 and the latter is returned to support I2 in the manner previously described to transfer another preshaped label from such support to a succeeding article.

Instead of shaping the label prior to its application to the article by means of rigid surfaces such as the aforementioned surfaces SI and 88, it is within the contemplation of the invention to shape the label on surface I! of the transfer device is by any other suitable means. Thus. in Fig. 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a flexible band or strap I! made of any suitable material, such as rubber, and supported at its ends on pins 46, 46 so as to be positioned across the path of travel of the transfer device It when it is lowered to pick up a label I. The pins 48, 46 are provided on the upper ends of two movable standards 41, 41 which are pivotally connected at 48, 48 to the base of a U-shaped bracket mounted on the machine in any suitable manner. The standards 41, 41 are maintained in substantially vertical positions by means of springs 49, 49 which are connected to the arms ll, II of bracket 5i. Between its ends, the strap i2 is provided with a plurality of perforations 31' which communicate with a chamber 35' formed in the central portion thereof. The chamber 35' is connected by means of a pipe or tube 36' with a source of suction controlled to provide suction in the chamber 35' and consequently at the upper surface 38' of strap I! when the label 8 is deposited on the latter and until such label is picked up by the transfer device l3. In this operation, it will be understood that the central portion of the strap. I! will be depressed by the transfer device i3 during the latters downward movement. During such movement of the transfer device i3, the strap II will be shaped to conform to the shape of the label carrying surface 39 of the transfer device, thus wrapping the label about such surface, the standards 41, 41 pivoting toward each other to enable this shaping of strap I! to take place. As the transfer device is raised to carry off the label 9 in the manner previously described, support i2 is returned to its normal raised position and standards 41, 41 return to their normal positions under the influence of springs 49, 49. Stop members 52, 52 on standards 41, 41 restrict the return movements of the latter so that they do not go beyond a vertical position.

It is also within the contemplation of the invention to provide the label carrying surface of the transfer device with any shape which will accomplish either the application or the delivery of the label to an article. Thus, in Fig.5 of the drawings, the label carrying surface 39' of the transfer device I3 is provided with a cylindrical shape to enable it to carry labels which should be first shaped into the form of a cylinder before insertion into articles, such as, the suture or gut tube l4. In applying labels to articles of this type. it is not necessary that the labels be given a coating of adhesive or thermoplastic material. it being merely suflicient to rely on the natural resiliency of the label material to maintain it in the position it will assume in the article when the suction at the surface 39 of the transfer device is cut off. Fig. 6 shows the label 9' positioned on the article l4, in the position it assumes after release of the vacuum in member i3 has permitted it to snap out against the wall of the article. The label 9 may be wrapped around the cylindrically-shaped surface 39' of the transfer device l3 by means of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, or by any other suitable means, the label being held in position thereon by the suction applied through ports til.

Itwillbeapparenttothoseskiiiedintheart that changes and modifications other than those above described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of. the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine, a label supply station, means spaced from said station for supporting articles to be labeled. a vacuum device adapted to carry from said supply station to the article to be labeled a label-shaped to the label carrying surface of such device, said surface having a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied. and means at said label supply station for supplyin to said device a label having a form other than flat and shaped'to substantially conform to the shape of said surface thereof.

2. In a labeling machine, a vacuum device adapted to carry a label shaped to the label carrying surface thereof from a transfer station to an article, said surface having a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, a source of label supply. means for advancing the terminal label in said supply to the-label transfer station, means at the transfer station for supplying to said device a label shaped to said surface thereof and means for synchronously actuating said device and said advancing means to carry a shaped label from the transfer station to an article and to advance a label from said supply to the transfer station during the same time.

3. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, means spaced from said supply and having a label supporting surface of a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, means for feeding the terminal label in said supply to said surface, means coasting with said label supporting surface to cause a label to assume the shape of the latter, means for delivering the label in its thus shaped form to the article and means for synchronously actuating said feeding means and said label delivery means to feed a label to said surface and to deliver a shaped label to an article during the same time.

4. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of supply of labels in flat form, means for feeding the terminal label in said supply to a transfer station spaced from such supply, means at said transfer station for shaping the label from a flat form to a form other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, means for delivering the label in its thus shaped form to the article, and means for synchronously actuating said feeding means and said label delivery means to feed a label to said transfer station and to deliver a shaped label to an article during the same time.

5. In a labeling machine, means for supplying labels in fiat form from a source of label supply, means for shaping the labels into-a form other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, means for delivering the label in its thus shaped form to the article, and means for synchronously actuating said supplying means and said label delivery means to supply a label in flat form to said shaping means and to deliver a shapedlabel from said shaping means to an article during the said time period, said shaping means being operable at the end of'each-sucn period.

6. in a labeling machine, means for supporting a source or la el supply, means spaced from said supply and having a label supporting surface of a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, a vacuum picker for feeding labels from said supply to said surface, means for shaping the label on said surface and holding the label in shaped condition thereon, means for transferring the label in its thus shaped form from said surface to the article, and means for synchronously actuating said vacuum picker and said transfer means to feed a label from said supply to said surface and to transfer a shaped label from said surface to an article during the same time.

7. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply. means having a label supporting surface of a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, a vacuum picker for feeding labels from said supply to said surface, means for shaping the label on said surface and holding the label in shaped condition thereon, a vacuum device for transferring the label in its thus shaped form from said surface to the article, said device having a label carrying surface conforming in shape to the shape of said supporting surface, and means for synchronously actuating said vacuum picker and said vacuum device to feed a label from said supply to said surface and to transfer a shaped label from said surface to an article during the same time.

8. In a labeling machine, a label supply station, means spaced from said station for supporting articles to be labeled, a vacuum device adapted to travel from said supply station to said article supporting station and having a label carrying surface shaped other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied and means separate from said vacuum device and located at said label supply station for shaping a fiat label on said surface into conformity with the latter.

9. In a labeling machine, a vacuum device having a predetermined path of travel and having a reciprocal movement along a path transverse to its path of travel, a. label carrying surface of a curved configuration which substantially conforms to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, and means for shaping a fiat label on said surface including a flexible strap in the path of such reciprocal movement of said device and adapted to wrap a label positioned thereon on such surface during such reciprocal movement of said device.

10. In a labeling machine, the combination of article supporting means at a label applying station for positioning hollow articles to be labeled in label receiving position thereat, a vacuum device for delivering labels to the article comprising a support, a vacuum head mounted in offset position on said support and having a label carrying surface of a configuration conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, means separate from said vacuum head and coactable with the latter for shaping a fiat label on said surface into conformity with the latter, and means for actuating said device to carry the thus shaped label into the interior of the article for application thereto.

11. in a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, means spaced from said source for supporting articles to be labeled, means to feed an unactivated adhesive coated label in a flat condition from said source to a point intermediate the latter and said article supporting means, means at said intermediate point to shape the flat label to the contour of the label supporting surface of transmitting means, said surface having a form other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of an article surface to which the label is to be applied. means to transmit the shaped label to said article supporting means and to activate the adhesive material on such shaped label during such portion of its travel, and means for synchronously actuating said feeding means and said transmitting means to feed a label from said source to said intermediate point and to transmit a shaped label from said intermediate point to an article during the same time.

12. In a labeling machine, means to feed an unactivated adhesive coated label in flat conditlon, means to shape the label to the contour of an article surface having a form other than flat,

means to transmit the shaped label to the article surface, means to activate the adhesive material on such label after the latter has been shaped and during its transmittal to the article, and means for synchronously actuating said feeding means and said transmitting means to feed a label in flat condition and to transmit a shaped label to an article during the same time.

13. In a labeling machine, the combination of an article supporting means at a label applying station for positioning hollow articles in label receiving position, a vacuum device for delivering labels to the article comprising a support, a cylindricall; shaped vacuum head mounted on said support and projecting transversely therefrom, means separate from such head for shaping a flat label around the projecting cylindrical surface of said head, and means for actuating said device to carry such vacuum head with the thus shaped label thereon into the interior of the article at the label applying station.

14. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, means spaced from said source for supporting articles to be labeled, a pick-up station intermediate said source of label supply and said article support, means for transferring individual labels from said source to said pick-up station, and means for transporting a label delivered to said pick-up station from the latter to an article on said support, and means associated with said transporting means for activating the adhesive material on said label during its passage from said pick-up station to the article.

15. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a compacted supply stack of inactivated thermoplastic coated labels, means spaced from said stack for supporting articles to be labeled, a pickup station intermediate said supply stack and said article support, a device for transferring individual labels from said stack to said pick-up station. the label engaging portion of said device being at substantially room temperature so as not to activate the adhesive material on said labels, and means for transporting a label delivered to said pick-up station from the latter to an article on said support, the label engaging portion of said transporting means being heated 9 to a temperature such as will activate the adhesive material on such label during its passage from said pick-up station to the article.

16. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, means spaced from said source for supporting articles to be labeled, a pick-up station intermediate said source of label supply and said' article support, a vacuum device for transferring individual labels from said source to said pick-up station, a vacuum device for transporting a label delivered to said pick-up station, from the latter to an article on said support, means for moving said transfervacuum device and said transporting vacuum device in predetermined relationship, and means associated with said transporting vacuum device for activating the adhesive material on said label in its passage from said. pick-up station to the article.

17. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a supply stack of labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, means spaced from said stack for supporting articles to belabeled, a pick-up station intermediate said label supply stack and said article support, a vacuum device for transferring individual labels from said stack to said pick-up station, the label engaging portion of said transfer device being at substantially room temperature so as not to activate the adhesive material on such labels, a vacuum device for transporting a label delivered to said pick-up station from the latter to an article on said support, means associated with said transporting vacuum device for supplying heat of a temperature to activate the adhesive material on such label in its passage from said pick-up station to the article, and means for moving said transfer vacuum device and said transporting vacuum device in predetermined relationship.

18. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of supply of labels coated with thermo-activatable adhesive, means spaced from said source for supporting articles to be labeled, a support located between said source and said article supporting means and spaced therefrom, a first label feeding device for removing and transferring individual labels from said source to said support, said first device operating at a temperature lower than the temperature required to activate the coating on said label, a second feeding device for transporting from said support and depositing on articles, the individual labels after said labels have been removed from said source by said first device, means to heat the thermo-activatable adhesive during the transport of the label by said second feeding device, whereby the adhesive is activated prior to the deposition of the label on the article and means for synchronously actuating said first and second feeding devices to transmit a label from said said supporting means, said heating means being effective on a portion only of said carrier, and said feeding means including means for transferring a label from an unheated portion of said carrier to a heated portion thereof at a point separated from said source of supply and intermediate the latter and said article supporting means, whereby the condition of the adhesive coatings on such labels is substantially unchanged during the initial portion of their transport by said feeding means, and such adhesive coatings are activated prior to the deposition of the, labels by said feeding means on the articles at said supporting means.

20. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, a label carrying device operable to transmit labels from said source of supply along a predetermined path. said device being constructed to carry two labels simultaneously and one portion of said device being unheated and another portion of said device being heated, and means coactable with said device for transferring a label from the unheated portion of said device to the heated portion thereof at a point spaced from said source of label supply.

21. In. a labeling machine, means for supporting a source of label supply, a unitary label pickup head operable to transmit labels from said source of supply along a predetermined path and having two label engaging portions for picking up and carrying labels, vacuum connections to each of said portions and one of such portions being unheated and the other portion heated, and means coactable with said head for transferring a label from the. unheated portion of said head device so that the heat from the heated portion will not substantially affect the unheated portion thereof, and means coactable with said device for transferring a label from the said unheated portion thereof to the heated portion thereof at 59 a point spaced from said source of label supply.

23. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a store of labels, a support for an individual label in spaced, predetermined position relative to said store, and a unitary vacuum device having a predetermined range of movement and operable to transmit simultaneously individual labels from said store and from said support along predetermined paths, said device having a label engaging portion constructed and arranged on said device to transport a label from said store to source to said spaced support and to transport a label from said spaced support to an article during the same t e.

19. In a l beling machine, means for supporting a source of supply of labels coated with thermo-activatable adhesive, means spaced from said source for supporting articles to be labeled, feeding means for removing individual labels from said source and applying such labels to articles at said s aced supporting means, said feeding means including a label carrier capable of carrying a plurality of labels simultaneously, means on said carrier to heat the theme-activatable adhesive coatings on such individual labels during the transport thereof from said source to said support during the range of movement of said device in one direction and said device having a second label engaging portion constructed and arranged on said device to transport a label 5 from said support along a predetermined path during the range of movement of I said device in the same direction.

24. In a labeling machine, means for supporting a store of labels, a support for an individual label in spaced, predetermined position relative to said store, and a unitary vacuum device having a predetermined path of travel and having a label engaging portion constructed and arranged to coact with said store to remove a label therefrom during the travel of said device in one direction.

and said devicehaving' a second label engagi portion constructed and arranged to coast with said support to remove a label therefrom during the travel of said device in the same direction,

store of labels on said support, an article supporting station spaced from said label supply station, a vacuum device arranged to travel from said supply station to said article supporting station, said device having a restricted vertical movement above said label supply station and having a label carrying surface shaped other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, means for successively carrying individual fiat labels from the store onsaid support to said supply station, and means at said supply station for shaping a flat label into conformity with said surface and for depositing such label on said surface.

26. In a labeling machine, a support for a store of labels, a label supply station spaced from the store of labels on said support, an article supporting station spaced from said label supply station, a vacuum device arranged to travel from said supply station to said" article supporting station and having a label carrying surface shaped other than fiat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, a second vacuum device for successively carrying individual labels from the store on said support to said supply station and having a relatively fiat label carrying surface, means at said supply station for shaping a flat label into conformity with the label carrying surface of said first mentioned vacuum device and for depositing such label on said carrying surface, and means for synchronously actuating said first and second mentioned vacuum devices.

27. In the art of applying labels to articles, that improvement which comprises removing successive terminal labels from a store of labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive ma.- terial and transferring such labels successively in spaced, independent relation without the application of heat to a station spaced from said store, depositing such spaced labels in a successive fashion at said station and on their adhesive coated surfaces, successively picking up and transporting the labels from said station to a label applying station and during such travel to the applying station, subjecting the labels to such heat as to activate the coatings thereon and then successively applying the labels to articles.

28. In the art of applying labels to articles. that improvement which comprises removing successive terminal labels from a store of labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive material, transferring such labels in a successive fashion and in a fiat condition without the application of heat to a station spaced from said store, reshaping the labels at such station into a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, successively transporting the reshaped labels to a label applying station and during such travel to the applying station subjecting the labels to such heat as to activate aovasaa the coatings thereon, and then successively applyin the labels to articles.

29. Inthe art of applying labels to articles, that improvement which comprises removing successive terminal labels from a store of labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive material, transferring such labels in a successive fashion without the application of heat to a station spaced from said store, depositing such labels in a successive fashion at such station and on their adhesive coated surfaces, maintaining a label at such station other than by the adhesive coating thereon and while so maintained reshaping the label into a shape other than flat and substantially conforming to the shape of the article surface to which the label is to be applied, successively transporting the reshaped labels to a label applying station and during such travel to the applying station subjecting the labels to such heat as to activate'the coatings thereon, and then successively applying the labels to articles.

30. In a labeling machine, means to support a 'compacted supply of inactivated thermoplastic coated labels, means spaced from said supply for supporting articles to be labeled, means for removing individual labels from said compacted supply and for applying such labels to articles on said support, said last mentioned means including a label removing device operative to remove an individual label from such compacted supply and having a temperature lower than the activating temperature of the thermoplastic coating on the label. a label applying device having a temperature higher than the activating temperature of the thermoplastic coating on such labels and means coacting with said removing device and said applying device to transfer a label from said removingdevice to said applying device.

31. In the art of applying labels to articles, that improvement which comprises removing successive terminal labels from a store of labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive material, transporting such labels successively, in spaced, independent relation over a portion of the path of travel from said store of labels to the articles to be labeled without the application of heat to such labels, then while transporting the labels in such successive fashion over the balance of such path to the articles to be labeled and without interruption of their movement over such balance of the path, successively subjecting them for a predetermined interval to such heat as to activate the coatings thereon, and then successively applying the labels to articles.

32. In a labeling machine having article supporting means at a label supplying station for positioning hollow articles in label receiving position, a vacuum head for feeding labels into the interior of such articles, said head comprising an elongated cylindrically-shaped casing having a cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of the interior of the article, having a plurality of openings provided in the cylindrical wall thereof and having a vacuum connection at one end thereof to cause a label to adhere'to the cylindrical wall thereof, means separate from said head to provide a label around the perforated cylindrical wall of said head, and means for actuating said head to insert the cylindrical wall thereof with a label thereon into the interior of an article at the label applying station.

33. In a labeling machine having article supporting means at a label supplying station for positioning hollow articles in label receiving posi- .13 tion with the opening thereof in the line of movement of a label feeding device, a label feeding device comprising an elongated vacuum head, a

member supporting one end of said head so thatof the body thereof and into the interior of articles at thelabel applying station, and means separate from said head to provide a label on the label carrying surface of the protruding body of said head.

34. In a labeling machine having means to support a supply of labels and means to support articles to be labeled, the combination of means for transmitting labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive material and in successive, spaced independent relation to such article support and for applying such labels to articles at such support, said transmitting and applying means including a label carrying vacuum device and means for heating the label carrying surface of said vacuum device at a temperature higher than room temperature to activate the adhesive material on such labels, and means for feeding such labels in successive, spaced, independent relation from said label supply support to said label to the article, said first label carrying device being at a temperature lower than the activating temperature of the adhesive material on such label, and said second label carrying device being provided with heating means to heat the adhesive material to a temperature above the activating temperature thereof and to apply such label under pressure to said article.

' 39. In a labeling machine for handling labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, a support for a source of supply of such labels, a support for an article to be labeled spaced from said source of supply, means for feeding such labels from such source of supply to said article support including a first label carrying device adapted to carry a label over a portion of its path of feed from such supply to the article, and a second label carrying device adapted to carry such label over the balance of such path and to apply it to the article, said first label carrying device being at a temperature so as not to activate the adhesive material, means provided on said second label carrying device to heat the adhesive material on such label so transmitting and applying means, said last menactivatable adhesive material and in successive;

spaced, independent relation to such article support and for applying such labels to articles at such support, said transmitting and applying means including a label carrying device and means for heating the label carrying surface of said device at a temperature higher than room temperature to activate the adhesive material on such labels, and means for feeding such labels in successive, spaced, independent relation from said label supply support to said transmitting and applyin means, said last mentioned means comprising a label carrying device having an unheated label carrying surface.

36. In a labeling machine having means to support a supply of labels and means to support articles to be labeled, of means for feeding labels having coatings of heat activatable adhesive material from said label support to said article support, said feeding means comprising a unitary vacuum device composed of two vacuum heads operable in succession on each label fed from such label supply support to said article support, means for transferring a label from one vacuum head to the other, and means for heating said other vacuum head.

37. A labeling machine such as defined in claim 36, in which said heated vacuum head has a label carrying surface of substantially greater area than that of said unheated vacuum head.

38. In a labeling machine for handling labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, a support for a source of supply of such as to activate the same, and means connected to said second label carrying device and operative to cause the latter ,to apply the activated label under pressure to the article.

,40. In a labeling machine for handling labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, a support for a source of supply of such labels, a support for an article to be labeled spaced from said source of supply, means for feeding such labels from such source of supply to said article support including a first suction device adapted to carry a label over a portion of its path of feed from such supply to the article, and a second suction device adapted to carry such label from place of discharge thereof by said first suction device to the article, said first suction device being at a temperature lower than the activating temperature of the adhesive material on such label, and means associated with said second suction device for supplying heat of a temperature to actuate the adhesive material on such label in its passage to the article.

al. In a labeling machine for handling labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, a support for a source of supply of such labels, a support for an article to be'labeled spaced from said source of supply, means for feeding such labels from such source of supply to an article on said article support including a first device for releasably holding individual labels and adapted to carry a label over a portion of its path of feed from such supply to the article, and a second device for releasably holding individual labels and adapted to carry such label from the place of discharge thereof by said first labels, a support for an article to be labeled device to the article, said first device being at a temperature lower than the activating temperature of the adhesive material on such label, means associated with said second device for supplying heat of a temperature to activate the adhesive material on such label in its passage to the article, and means for causing said second device to deposit such label on the article.

42. In a labeling machine for handling labels having heat activatable adhesive material thereon, a support for a source of supply of such labels, a support for an article to be labeled spaced from said source of supply, means for feeding such labels from such source of supply to an article on said article support, including a first device for supporting individual labels and adapted to carry a label 'over a portion 0! its path of feed from such supply to an article, and a second device for supporting individual labels and adapted to carry such label from the place or discharge thereot by said ilrst device to the article, said first device being at a temperature lower than the activating temperature of the adhesive material on such label, a label engaging surface on said second device, means provided on said second device for supplying to said label 10 engaging surface heat 0! a temperature to activate the adhesive material on such label in its passage to the article, means for causing said first and second devices to move so as to carry such label over a predetermined path to a position overlying the part of the article to which l6 7' such label is to be applied. and means for moving the label engaging surface of said second device from such position towards such-article part to adhere such label to the article under pressure. GEORGE W. volt HOFE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,705,512 Wit". a.. Mar. 19,1929 2,129,686 Gray Sept. 13, 1938 15 2,227,816 Von Hole Jan. 7, 1941 Von Hoi'e July 1, 1941 

